Basil White Chocolate Creams With Sticky Balsamic Strawberries Recipes

BASIL & WHITE CHOCOLATE CREAMS WITH STICKY BALSAMIC STRAWBERRIES

Steps:

• Pour the cream into a saucepan, then add the torn basil leaves and stalks. Bring to a simmer over a medium heat, then remove from the heat and leaveto infuse for 5 mins. Discard the basil and re-heat the cream to a simmer.
• Remove the cream from the heat and immediately tip in the chocolate. Leave for a few mins to melt, then stir until smooth. Pour the mixture into four serving glasses and chill for at least 1 hr until firm. (This can be done up to a day ahead.)
• In a small saucepan, mix the caster sugar and balsamic vinegar with 2 tbsp water and cook over a medium heat, stirring continuously, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has reduced by half to a sticky syrup (about 5 mins). Cool before pouring over the strawberries and allow to soak for at least 1 hr.
• Spoon the balsamic strawberries over the creams and decorate with basil.

BASIL CAKE WITH BALSAMIC STRAWBERRIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Generously grease a fluted tube pan (such as a Bundt®).
• Stir vegetable oil, eggs, and sour cream in a large bowl until thoroughly combined; stir in cake mix, instant vanilla pudding mix, and basil until batter is smooth.
• Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake until the cake is lightly browned at the edges and a toothpick inserted into the thickest part of the cake comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes.
• Let cake cool in pan for 20 minutes before inverting to turn cake out onto rack to cool completely.
• Stir balsamic vinegar with sugar in a saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until vinegar syrup is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool syrup to room temperature.
• Just before serving, stir strawberries with balsamic syrup in a bowl; spoon berries and syrup over the cake. Sprinkle cake with fresh mint.

BALSAMIC STRAWBERRIES WITH RICOTTA CREAM

Steps:

• Put the ricotta cheese, honey and vanilla extract into the small bowl of a food processor and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer to a small bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• In a small saucepan combine the vinegar and sugar and bring to a boil. Simmer over medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Allow to cool completely.
• In a medium bowl, toss the berries with the basil and the balsamic syrup.
• Divide the cream among 4 cocktail glasses, top with the berry mixture and serve.
• Excellent source of: Vitamin C, Manganese
• Good source of: Protein, Vitamin K, Calcium, Phosphorus, Selenium

BLONDIES WITH A STRAWBERRY-BALSAMIC SWIRL

Steps:

• Roast white chocolate: Heat oven to 300 degrees. Spread white chocolate on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and stir with a spatula until browned chocolate at edges is evenly mixed with uncooked chocolate in center. Once stirred, chocolate should be the color of dark peanut butter. If it isn't, continue to bake in 5-minute increments to darken. Watch closely: White chocolate can easily burn. Let cool.
• Make blondie batter: Lightly coat a 9x13-inch metal baking pan with butter. Line it with parchment paper so there is a 2-inch overhang on the pan's long sides. Place a clean, empty baking sheet in the oven, and increase the temperature to 350 degrees.
• Place butter and both sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat together on medium speed until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla and salt and beat to incorporate. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition to incorporate completely and scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add oil and beat. Scrape roasted white chocolate into bowl (it may have hardened and gotten a little grainy: This is O.K.) and mix it in. Add flour and mix on low speed until absorbed. Scrape batter into the prepared pan.
• Make strawberry-balsamic swirl: Place strawberries and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon and smashing the berries, until they release their juices and fall apart, 10 to 12 minutes. Separately, stir cornstarch and a tablespoon of water and drizzle it onto strawberries, continuing to stir for a minute or two until mixture has thickened into jam. Continue cooking for 2 more minutes, stirring constantly, then remove from heat. Stir in balsamic vinegar. Drop generous tablespoons of strawberry mixture over batter and use a butter knife to swirl them together, but don't overmix.
• Place pan on baking sheet in oven. Bake until blondies are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes. They will firm up as they cool, so pull them out 2 or 3 minutes before your desired consistency. Place pan on a wire rack and, once room temperature, remove blondies from pan by pulling on parchment paper. Transfer to a cutting board, cut into squares, and serve.

FRESH STRAWBERRIES WITH BALSAMIC VINEGAR AND BASIL

Steps:

• In large mixing bowl, stir together sugar, vinegar, honey, and pepper. Add basil and strawberries; toss to coat. Cover and chill at least 10 minutes and up to 1 1/2 hours. Serve chilled.